Shaheen Afridi And Mohammad Rizwan Rejected; Three New Candidates Emerge For Pakistan Captaincy- Reports

Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan are reportedly out of the race for the Pakistan captaincy after Babar Azam resigned as white-ball skipper via a post on social media. PCB has also officially accepted his resignation, which occurred following coach Gary Kirsten’s secret report.

Babar stepped aside from the leadership position to focus on his batting. Babar’s decision was hardly surprising, given Pakistan’s terrible performance under his captaincy in recent months.

The star Pakistan hitter had previously been under pressure to resign, and he eventually did. This is the second time in a year that Babar Azam has quit as Pakistan’s captain. He had previously resigned from the position following Pakistan’s failure to get to the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2023.

Meanwhile, as PCB searches for a new captain ahead of the Australia ODI tour, a Cricket Pakistan report has mentioned that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pace bowler Shaheen Afridi have slim chances of being considered for the role, despite their leadership experience in other formats.

No Shaheen Afridi or Mohammad Rizwan consideration

This leadership shift follows Babar Azam’s decision to step down from captaincy in all forms in November, following Pakistan’s poor World Cup campaign.

In the aftermath, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Shaheen Afridi as the T20 captain and Shan Masood as the Test captain. Babar returned as captain of the white-ball team in March of this year, but his current departure means the position is once again open.

Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, and Salman Ali Agha are new candidates for Pakistan captaincy

Following star batter Babar Azam’s recent resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, speculation is widespread over who will take over the role next. Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel, explosive opener Fakhar Zaman, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha are among the top contenders for the post.

Saud Shakeel, who recently replaced Rizwan as Test vice-captain during Pakistan’s series against Bangladesh, is regarded as a possible possibility. Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman, who previously captained the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), brings his own leadership experience to the table.

However, Salman Ali Agha, the least experienced of the three in terms of leadership, has yet to skipper any domestic team.

There is also another candidate in Mohammad Haris as head coach Gary Kirsten had previously suggested promoting younger players in the T20 format. Haris, a rising star in Pakistani cricket, has drawn the attention of selectors, and Kirsten’s post-T20 World Cup assessment suggested the teenager could be a suitable match for the T20I leadership role.

While Haris’ prospective selection as T20 captain is still under consideration, the ultimate decision will be taken after consultations with the PCB and team selectors.

Also Read: Mohammad Rizwan To Become New Pakistan Captain Of ODIs And T20Is? Report Drops Shocker